Match Report
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| Date - 11th February 2006 |
Old Brentwoods 1st XV -v- Clacton 1st XV |
| Essex 2 |
| Old Brentwoods 31 Clacton 26 |
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| OBRFC's start to the year has been almost as disastrous as that endured
by the Liberal Democrats, though the rugby club's
problems - five defeats on the trot - are the consequence of the usual
blights of club rugby, namely injuries and a lack of availability, and
nothing more salacious than that. However, it still left Old Brentwoods
looking for their own equivalent of a Dunfermline and West Fife by-election
victory to boost spirits, as they took on Clacton on Saturday.
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| The match started at a frenetic pace, each side intent on playing with
the ball in hand and taking the attack to the opposition, however each
side found the other's defence in a fresh and feisty frame of mind.
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| As the frantic opening salvos subsided, the home team found themselves
able to exert a measure of control over proceedings and, as the pressure
mounted, Clacton were forced to concede a penalty close to their own
line. Seizing the opportunity blind-side wing-forward, Hywel Davies,
took a quick tap to himself and powered over to open the scoring.
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| Having been starved of success since the turn of the year, OBRFC were
hungry for more tries and in no mood to relinquish their early
ascendancy. They did not have to wait long. From a seemingly unpromising
position in centre field, fly half Perry Reeves demonstrated vision and
exquisite execution, punting a perfectly waited cross-field kick
straight into left wing Dean Bourne's arms. Dean Bourne had timed his
run perfectly to meet the ball on the full and ran in from the ten-metre
line to finish an excellent try.
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| Man of the match, hooker Matt Warrilow, read the game cleverly and
orchestrated the home team's lineout superbly. His accurate throwing
allied with James Holmes's dominance of the centre of the lineout, on
either side's throw, allowed OBRFC to control this facet of play.
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| Scrum time was also dominated by OBRFC, where their powerful tight five,
lead by rock solid props, Charlie Raymond and Gary Murphy, were able to
exert significant pressure on their opposite numbers.
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| Enjoying the upper hand in the set pieces, OBRFC pressed home their
advantage with a third try in the first quarter, when outside centre
Neil Tentner brushed aside several would-be tacklers to touch down under
the posts.
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| Clacton came into the match sitting third in the league table, a
position OBRFC had occupied before their poor run of results at the
start of the year, and as such were not a side lacking in ability and
drive. It was therefore no surprise that they mounted a meaningful
comeback before half time, scoring two converted tries to close the gap
to 19 - 14 in the home side's favour.
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| An early try at the start of the second half calmed OBRFC nerves. A
quick tap by live-wire scrum half, Neil Hannaway, and a well-timed
off-load to dynamic second row, Jamie Matthews, who made excellent
ground with another of his trademark bullocking runs, set Clacton on the
back foot. As Matthews went to ground open-side wing-forward,
Matthew Staines, was on hand to quickly clear out at the ensuing ruck,
and allow the ball to be swiftly distributed along the three-quarter
line to Neil Tentner, who drove over for the second of his brace of
tries.
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| Clacton again hit back to reduce the deficit but the introduction of
second half substitutes, prop Gary Fryett and inside centre Chris Reah,
refreshed the set piece and reinvigorated the back line.
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| OBRFC clinched their victory with their fifth try, the result of another
fluid attack. The ball was spun out to the right wing, where full back
Matt Brown, who had another assured game in defence and influential one
in attack, took an incisive line and linked well with wing Gareth Boyce.
With Clacton's defence stretched, the ball was switched back across the
pitch, and Chris Reah located space and freed Andrew West who hit the
ball at pace and thundered through the gap to score.
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| A late try for Clacton could have been cause for concern for OBRFC but
the immense presence and continued exhortations of Old Brentwoods'
stalwart Pat Stroud, who put in another storming display, and the
example set by club captain Neil Hannaway's ferocious tackling,
galvanised the team's spirit and allowed them to come away with a well-deserved victory.
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| After January's woes OBRFC will enjoy their victory and hopefully use it
as a stepping-stone towards a strong finish to the season, however only
continued hard work and meaningful application will allow them to
continue to enjoy this winning feeling.
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